This week at nursery, we’ve been celebrating Black History Month, focusing on the incredible story of Floella Benjamin and her journey from the Caribbean to London, as told in her inspiring book Coming to England. The children have engaged in a variety of activities to explore this story and learn about feelings, different cultures, and new experiences. Here’s what we’ve been up to:
Communication and Language
Storytime was an exciting part of the week, where we encouraged the children to listen carefully and ask questions about Floella’s story. This gave them the opportunity to practice their speaking and listening skills, sparking discussions about moving to new places and meeting new people.
Personal, Social, and Emotional Development
As we read about Floella’s journey, we talked about the different emotions she felt when moving to a new country. The children discussed feelings like happiness, excitement, nervousness, and sadness, and shared times when they felt the same. This activity helped the children better understand their own emotions and the feelings of others.
Understanding the World
We introduced the children to the idea of different cultures and countries. Using a world map, we located Trinidad, where Floella’s story begins. The children were fascinated to see how far away it is from England!
To bring the Caribbean culture to life, we listened to the lively sounds of a steel drum and even had a little dance party! The children loved experiencing the rhythm and joy of Caribbean music. We also reflected on how life in Trinidad is both similar and different to life here in England, helping the children appreciate the beauty of diversity.
Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)
We explored the Trinidad and Tobago flag, discussing its colours red, black, and white. Then the children then had a go at painting the flag themselves.
To round off our celebration of Caribbean culture, the children had the chance to taste some delicious Caribbean fruits like mango and pineapple. It was a fun and tasty way to explore new flavours and talk about food from different parts of the world.
